Have you ever thought of going solar at home? In San Diego, where we have a high number of sunny days, more and more people have been following this trend. This post will break down some of the questions I hear most often from clients.

Since 1839 we’ve known light could be turned into electricity but it wasn’t until the 1950s, that the first solar cells were available commercially. Since then, improvements in solar technology have been enormous, as well as drops in cost of going solar. Since 1977, the price of solar panels has gone down approximately 100 times over, and solar power can be cheaper than power from the grid for some.

Paying for the System

Solar systems come with a price tag comparable to a new car. Because of that, most people will need to use a financing option instead of purchasing in cash. There are various ways to finance your solar system, and the difference in savings can be huge.

Solar leases & Power Purchasing Agreements (PPA): Both are financial agreements where a third-party developer owns, operates and maintains the solar system. The customer agrees to have the system on their property and purchases the system’s electric output from the solar services provider for a predetermined period.

Loans: Solar loans are available at a number of banks and organizations across the country.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing: This helps homeowners and commercial building owners cover the full cost of installing a system with a flexible repayment plan extending up to 20 years. The system is paid off gradually via higher property taxes.

Owning vs. Leasing

Do you want to own your system or lease it?

Moving soon?: If you intend to move after a few years and you have a solar lease, you will have to convince the new buyers to take over the lease – which isn’t always easy. If the system is paid for, you can typically roll the cost of the system into the price of the home. More and more buyers are interested in homes with green upgrades like this.

Lease to own: If you choose the leasing or PPA route, some companies allow you to buy the system for a fair market value once the leasing period is over.

Longevity: Solar panels are very durable and can produce electricity close to the initial factory specs for many decades. Your long-term savings could be three or four times higher if you buy solar panels rather than lease them for a 20-year period.

Costs & Savings Estimates

Most every solar company has a “solar calculator” on their website to estimate how much a system will cost and how much it will save you. Each calculator will yield different estimates, so compare as many as possible and feel free to ask each company what assumptions they’ve used to come up with their estimates. Here are some ways they estimate cost and savings:

Electricity costs: Numbers can be based on the national average, regional averages, or based on information you provide.

Incentives: Calculators may or may not include federal, state and local incentives which, if you’re eligible, can mean big savings.

Potential generation: Some calculators take a satellite photo of your roof and offer a close estimate of how much electricity you can generate. Some use your regional solar irradiation to create the estimate, and others use the size of your roof or your typical electricity consumption.

Assumptions: Another key factor is determining which assumptions they use regarding financing (a cash purchase, a lease, a loan or PACE financing).

Equipment Used

There are many different solar panels on the market – each with their own benefits and disadvantages. Solar panels used for the rooftop solar market are less varied, but there are still considerable differences between each brand.

Price vs. efficiency: The biggest price differences stem from variations in efficiency, but efficiency doesn’t usually matter unless you have very limited space on your roof.

Warranties & reliability: How reliable are the chosen company’s panels known to be – and is the company likely to be around in 10 years?

Options: Does the installer give you a choice between types of panels, or at least disclose where the panels are manufactured?

Services Included

Does the company offer service beyond installation?

Maintenance & warranties: Some companies install the solar panels, provide maintenance, and offer warranties on both the panels and the work.

Financing: Some companies assist you during the financing process.

Incentives: Some help you find and take advantage of incentives you may be eligible for.

Manufacturing: A number of solar installers also manufacture the solar panels and solar cells they use.

Customer Service

Will you be calling an 800 number or get connected directly to someone who can help?

Dedicated salesperson: Your solar company may provide a dedicated salesperson from day one or after a certain stage in the process – or maybe not at all.

Post-sale: Ideally, your initial point-of-contact will be available if you need something after sales, but you may be assigned to a different representative at a later time.

Service fees: There’s a chance the premium service will also come with an additional cost.

I hope this post has helped inform you more about options for going solar. Please feel free to call/text or email me anytime with questions! 760-390-6330 janairealtor@gmail.com Have a great day!

As you probably know, California is in a major drought and water shortage. Even with the few rains we have had this Spring, we are no where near where we need to be in terms of water storage and supply.

With all of the news coverage the drought has received, you may have heard of turf replacement programs in San Diego County. These programs pay you to kill your lawn and install a water-wise landscape, including trees! Saving water is only one reason why this is such a good idea…

Turf Replacement’s Many Benefits

When you replace your lawn with low-maintenance native plants and trees, you increase your property value, lower your water bill, save money on landscaping, and stop polluting the environment with gas-powered tools, fertilizers, and pesticides. Another great benefit of a native garden is providing food and shelter for local birds and butterflies. Native plants can also help protect your property from wildfires (blog post coming soon!)!

Say No To Lawns

Lawns are like sponges. Turfgrass requires a tremendous amount of water to stay green. Water-wise landscapes use about 70% less water than lawns.

Lawns aren’t wildlife habitats. Lawns are not homes for our local wildlife. When our housing developments were built, construction workers cleared out our local coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats to grade the land. Lawns don’t provide the food and shelter that once existed. When you install a native landscape, you participate in a small habitat restoration.

Lawns pollute. Lawns create a crazy amount of pollution. First, there are the fertilizers and pesticides that seep into our groundwater, causing all sorts of problems. Secondly, the regular mow-and-blow service that lawns require involves gas-powered tools that pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and create loud noise throughout your neighborhood.

Lawns don’t support native trees. Development in the past 30 years has led to a major loss of trees in San Diego County. We need them to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reduce rainwater runoff, and cool down the earth. Trees can also keep you home cooler during the summer. Native trees use less water and provide excellent habitats for wildlife. It’s difficult to plant native trees in a traditional lawn, however, because their water requirements aren’t the same. Many native trees can die from being overwatered.

Current Programs in San Diego

In the past year, most of the funding for turf replacement programs in San Diego has run out. This means many people are killing their lawns and transitioning to native landscapes, which is great! There is currently one program in San Diego that will pay you to replace your lawn with a water-wise garden. Be sure to include trees as an important element of your landscape design.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) – The California DWR has a rebate program for removing turf and replacing it with waterwise landscapes. The $24 million program budget is expected to support the conversion of more than 10 million square feet of turf, or approximately 20% of the statewide goal of 50 million square feet of turf. Up to $2 per square foot of removed and replaced turf will be rebated per eligible household. The total rebated amount, including any rebates the homeowner has already applied for from another agency, can’t exceed a total of $2 per square foot.

The DWR program is for front yards and backyards. You must have at least one tree. Mulch is required on all exposed soil surfaces. At minimum, 25% of the converted area include low-water-use, drought-tolerant or California native plants. The Program requires drip irrigation, micro-spray irrigation, or hand watering. Synthetic turf is not allowed. Click here to apply for the DWR rebate program.

Summary

Funding is limited for turf replacement programs in San Diego, so act now to secure your rebate. The red tape involved when applying for these rebates is a small price to pay for the long-term financial and environmental benefits of a sustainable landscape.

Our landscaping choices can reduce water use considerably, and make a significant impact on our community. Have you applied for these rebates? I would love to hear about your experiences. Please call or text me at (760) 390-6330 or email me at janairealtor@gmail.com.

Renting a home is a good option for some, but buying a home just might be the best thing for you. When you rent a home, you send money to someone else every month in exchange for knowing that you can call on your landlord when the roof leaks, an appliance stops working or your bathroom faucet breaks. There are some big advantages to buying a house that will help you get out of your renting rut and focus more on your future.

Build Equity

Did you know that when you rent a home, you help someone else build equity? Any changes that you make with your landlord’s approval puts money back in his or her pocket. Keeping the yard clean and taking care of routine maintenance builds equity in that property. When you buy a home of your own, you have the chance to build equity of your own, which you can use to obtain a loan later.

Save On Your Taxes

When you rent a house, you cannot deduct the money you spend on your taxes. Though some states will let you make a small deduction based on the total amount you spend in rent each month, you cannot make any deductions on your federal taxes. When you buy a home, you can save with a few different types of deductions.

The federal government lets you make a deduction if your home is worth more than what you currently owe on your taxes. If you purchased your first home, you can make a deduction in regards to your property taxes. You can also deduct money that you spend on some renovations and energy saving appliances.

Put Your Personal Touch On Things

As long as you continue renting, you live in a home that belongs to someone else. Your landlord has final say over what you do and do not do. This often means that you cannot make repairs or significant changes without seeking approval first.

Buying a home lets you put your personal touch on things. You can paint the walls any colors you want, rip out the carpet to add hardwood flooring or even make significant changes outside to turn your new home into your dream home.

Now that you know more about the benefits of buying a home and how that purchase can get you out of the rental rut you’re in currently, call me. I’d love to answer any of your questions and help you find the perfect home for you! 760-390-6330 (call/text) janai@bentleysd.com.

National market update

Existing-Home Sales Rise in June as Home Prices Surpass July 2006 Peak

WASHINGTON (July 22, 2015) — Existing-home sales increased in June to their highest pace in over eight years, while the cumulative effect of rising demand and limited supply helped push the national median sales price to an all-time high, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions experienced sales gains in June and have now risen above year-over-year levels for six consecutive months.Read more

3 Reasons Why It’s a Great Time for Sellers

Rising home prices, demand from home buyers, and less competition is making 2015 a stellar year to sell for many U.S. home owners across the country, says Daren Blomquist, RealtyTrac’s vice president.Read more

National housing indicators

Existing home sales (July) 5.49 millions units*

Existing home median price (July) $236,400

Housing Starts (July) 1.174 millions units*

New home sales (July) 0.546 millions units*

National economic indicators

Home ownership

The homeownership rate in the second quarter 2015 was 63.4 percent, down 1.3 (+/- 0.4) percentage points from the second quarter 2014 rate of 64.7 percent. The homeownership rates in the Northeast, Midwest, South and West were lower than the rates in the second quarter 2014.

New home sales

Sales of new single-family houses in June 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 482,000. This is 6.8 percent (+/- 12.5%)* below the revised May 2015 estimate of 517,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 150 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Prices & State Sales

Consumer tips & hot properties

5 Unexpected Lessons When Buying a Home (From People Who’ve Done It Before) You never forget your first time… buying a house. Here’s what took us by surprise in the whole complicated process. Read more

Dirty Secrets: 9 Things Your Landscape Designer Wishes You Knew For an outdoor oasis that is so you, make sure you know these 9 secrets (hint: designers don’t just do flowers). Read more

How to Find a Home Inspector Who Will Change Your Life. Really! A New York transplant who bought a home in Southern California tells the story of searching for—and finding—the best home inspector of all time. Here’s how you can find your own home-inspecting hero. Read more

This Secret-Room Fad Is Kind of a Mystery Doors in disguise and hidden rooms are in demand, and even designers aren’t sure why. Read more

If you have children, no home is complete without a treehouse. Besides the fact that treehouses provide kids with hours of entertainment, they can also present additional benefits that are hard to quantify. For starters, treehouses can improve property values by boosting curb appeal. When building any type of treehouse, keep the following tips in mind.

Location, Location, Location
Before you head off to Home Depot and get all the necessary supplies, you need to spend some serious time storyboarding the build process. Pick a tree with low, sprawling branches such as an oak or a maple. Furthermore, consider issues like wind, shade and privacy before you start to nail up supports.

Choose Your Materials Wisely
A treehouse built with subpar materials will fall short in the longevity department and disappoint the kids. Pick out stout oak 4×4 posts for the structural elements and top them off with pressure-treated pine for the floors and railings. Use quality plywood for the interior walls and seal it to avoid rot.

Make Multi-Use Your Mantra
Treehouses that are simply shacks suspended above ground will quickly bore youngsters no matter how well-built they may be. Incorporate elements such as swings, rope ladders and even zip-lines to get more from your treehouse. As long as you’re putting in the effort, you might as well add all of the bells and whistles.

Bake Safety Into the Recipe
You don’t want anyone to get hurt when they’re frolicking among the branches. Make sure to bolt handles and permanent rails into the truck so that everyone is less likely to slip and fall. If you want to go all out, add a few safety nets around the edges.

Heed Aesthetics When Designing
An unadorned treehouse quickly turns into an eyesore over time as it’s battered by the elements. Shingle the roof and paint the exterior walls so that they match your home. Kids will naturally gravitate towards a treehouse that looks appealing and your neighbors won’t complain about a shoddy structure in your weeping willow.

It’s More Than a Treehouse
While many young kids will no doubt love a full-featured treehouse, it’s usually the improvement in home value that will appeal to adults. If you’re interested in learning more about homes in your area that would support your desire to build a treehouse, contact me today 760.390.6330; janai@bentleysd.com.

If you’re new to home buying or a little rusty in the department, you might not think about some of the do’s and do not’s while you’re in escrow. If you’re quick to open a new credit card to save 15% off at a store, or constantly transferring money back and forth between accounts, you’ll have to think twice about that during those 30-45 days. Here are a few quick tips to keep your transaction on track:

The DO’s:

Keep an eye out for emails with any conditions, requests, or documents that need to be signed. Everything is extremely time sensitive and normally the window of response to ensure an efficient close of escrow is 1 business day or less.

Read all emails thoroughly to ensure you do not miss any details.

Respond to voicemails at your earliest convenience, so any urgent requests or circumstances can be conveyed as quickly as possible.

Once you receive your Closing Disclosure from your loan office, please send it to your real estate agent so they can ensure all credits and financial terms agreed to during the transaction are accounted for.

The DO NOT’s:

Open or apply for ANY form of credit without advice from your loan officer first.

Charge anything on your credit beyond the normal daily uses now.

Close any lines of credit without advice from your loan officer first.

Change jobs or quit your current job.

Move money between accounts or make any large deposits (in excess of $500) without advice first.

Close any financial accounts without advice from your loan officer first.

Give Landlord notice without consulting your loan officer.

Set up a date with a moving company without consulting your loan officer.

If you pay attention to these tips, it will help to ensure a smooth process for everyone!

Here is a simple chart that breaks down the steps of the loan process:

Please let me know if you have any questions. I also can recommend some great loan officers if you would like to get pre-qualified to look for a home. None of the service providers I recommend give me a kickback. I just know they do a great job!

Happy June! Here is my housing trends newsletter with May statistics. This newsletter includes national and local housing information that I hope you find useful. Please feel free to contact me with questions 858.376.7117 or janai@bentleysd.com.

National Market Update

Existing-Home Sales Lose Momentum in April

WASHINGTON (May 21, 2015) — Despite properties typically selling faster than at any time since July 2013, existing–home sales slowed in April but remained above an annual sales pace of five million for the second straight month, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions except for the Midwest experienced sales declines in April. Read more

Owners Place High Value on Good Yards

Don’t underestimate the importance of a beautiful yard to home owners and their neighbors. 84 percent of adults say that the quality of a home’s landscape and yard would affect their decision on whether to purchase a home or not, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 adults conducted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Read more

National Housing Indicators

Existing home sales (May) 5.04 millions units*

Existing home median price (May) $219,400

Housing Starts (May) 11.35 millions units*

New home sales (May) 4.81 millions units*

National Economic Indicators

Home ownership

The homeownership rate in the first quarter 2015 was 63.7 percent, down 1.1 (+/- 0.4) percentage points from the first quarter 2014 rate of 64.8 percent. The homeownership rates in the Northeast, South and West were lower than the rates in the first quarter 2014, while the rate in the Midwest was not statistically different from the rate a year ago.

New home sales

Sales of new single-family houses in March 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000. This is 11.4 percent (+/- 18.6%)* below the revised February 2015 estimate of 543,000.

Regional Market Updates

Click on the links below to information on local prices & state sales from any of 150 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS®.

I was thinking this morning about some of the questions and comments I receive now that I am a licensed Realtor. So, I got to the core of them and listed 4 things that I hope will boost your real estate knowledge!

1) All Realtors have the same access to properties:

I am a member of San Diego County’s MLS (multiple listing service). That means I have access to information about every property that is being sold in San Diego County AND I can show the property to any interested buyers.

2) A home doesn’t have to be listed with me before I can show it:

This is basically the same as number 1 but I have had a lot of friends ask me to send them my listings. Well, right now I am specializing as a buyers agent, so I don’t have any homes listed under my name. I can show any home or even vacant land within San Diego County, and if it is outside of the county or in another state, I can help by interviewing and connecting you with the best agent in the area you are looking.

3) As a buyer, using a Realtor is FREE:

A Realtor representing the buyer is paid at the end of the process after the home is yours, and they are paid by the seller. This is how it works… When someone lists their home to be sold, they agree to a commission rate with the Realtor they are listing the home with. That commission is then split between the person who sells the home (the agent they list with) and the person who brings the buyer to them (agent representing the buyer).

4) What is the difference between a broker, real estate agent, and a Realtor?

Real estate agent: Anyone who earns a real estate license can be called a real estate agent. State requirements vary, but in all states you must take a minimum number of classes and pass a test to earn your license. The agent then picks a brokerage to work under.

REALTOR®:Another name for a real estate agent, BUT it also means that agent is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. They pay a fee to be a member of their local board, state and national associations and must uphold the standards of the association and its code of ethics. For example, although the primary responsibility of an agent is to his or her client, Realtors promise never to mislead or withhold information from anyone involved in the real estate transaction — including the other real estate agent and his or her clients.

Real estate broker:A person who has taken education beyond the agent level as required by state laws and has passed a broker’s license exam. Brokers can work alone or they can hire agents to work for them.

Real estate salesperson:Another name for a real estate agent.

What other questions do you have? I’d be happy to answer them for you – 858.376.7117; janai@bentleysd.com.